Liquidy Cecotropes

[Wascally Wabbits]

Lilo 5.5 yo started having liquidy cecotropes yesterday morning. And I mean liquidy, I found brown liquid (not just mushy) that smells like cecotropes on the floor of his pen. He has had this problem 5 weeks ago but to a lesser (less liquid) extent. He also has very loud gas, I can hear it standing 5 yards from him. I took him to the vet both times and both times he was prescribed one week of Albon (50mg/ml 0.4mL twice daily) in case it’s coccidia.

The vet said to call her back if he still has runny cecotropes by tomorrow. He is eating hay just fine, not eating his pellets though (which he LOVES). His normal diet is unlimited oat hay and Timothy hay, 2 tablespoons of oxbow natural science pellets, and 1 cup of greens (we’re building back up after his last bout of runny poo). The vet seems puzzled as to why he keeps getting this since his diet is textbook good. Do you guys have any idea? He had more runny cecotropes this morning and seem to be a little uncomfortable everytime gas moves. The only thing I can think of was he got a bite from bonding sessions that left some raw looking bald patch so I applied a tiny bit of Neosporin without pain reliever. It’s on his neck, I don’t think he could reach it. The vet didn’t think the amount would he a problem even if he did lick it off right away (and I petted him for 30 min after just so he couldn’t). Any suggestions would be great so I can run them by her to see what’s going on.

[Mikey]

That would be true diarrhea by the sounds of it, he should see a vet asap since this has happened more than once. Gas can also be concerning. Something in his diet isnt working well with his tummy. It could be how many greens hes eating (not all buns can tolerate them), or specific types of greens he just cant handle well

[Wascally Wabbits]

I took him to the vet 6 hours (earliest I could get in) after I saw his cecotropes. He’s on Albon right now and all veggies have been stopped. His energy level is normal except for occasionally seeming a little uncomfortable. My bf is watching him while I’m at work. Do you guys know if mint leaves might cause problems? He has had mint before and has been fine, but last time and this time, I reintroduced mint and after two days he would get liquid cecotropes. I will not be feeding him anymore mint, just wondering if it’s common.

[Bam]

He could be sensitive to mint. Mint is traditionally used for stomach trouble, so it’s not something that in general causes liquid poop. But all buns have their individual differences. So stop the mint if you think that’s not agreeing with him or that it contributed to his problem. Get well quick (((((Lilo)))))

[jerseygirl]

Could it be what the mint was washed in before packed for the store? Some buns do have sensitivities to certain veg. I remember a member saying kale caused messy poo for one of their rabbits, for instance.

It probably wouldn’t hurt for him to go on a probiotic.

Do you ever see him eat his cecals at other times.

Interesting that he is not eating pellets. I do find my rabbits will snub them first when not feeling well and the last thing they come back to eating again once feeling better. But it makes me wonder if he has some teeth issues brewing…

[jerseygirl]

Some reading, if you are inclined.
http://rabbit.org/disorders-of-the-cecum/
http://rabbit.org/intermittent-soft-cecotropes-in-rabbits/

[Wascally Wabbits]

Thanks Jerseygirl for the links.

I saw him trying to eat his cecals but they’re too liquidy, he just ended up getting it all over his face. He ate some pellets yesterday and this morning. Cecals are still liquidy and very loud gas even though he doesn’t seem to be in pain and still very hyper. I stopped all veggies since the vet told me to. Do you guys know if stress can cause liquid cecals for this long? Two days on Albon and it’s still going. I moved my other rabbit Pepper into the same room as pre-bonding and two days later he got gas and liquid cecals. They seem to be fine eating across from each other, no aggression through the double fence.

Gave the vet a call to see if she has more ideas since Albon seems to not be helping. I gave him some benebac yesterday waiting for it to work.

[Bam]

Stress can make poop weird for quite some time. It can be 2 weeks before the bun is back to normal again. Benebac is good.

[Wascally Wabbits]

Spoke to the vet, and she said to cut his pellets to 1 tbsp to see if that will help. She also recommended trying Sherwood Forest pellets and digestive supplement. Has anyone heard of this? I googled and they seem to have a much shorter list of ingredients which is normally a good thing. But I’ve also been told by basically everyone that Oxbow has the best pellets..

He’s pooping normal poop (though small and weirdly shaped), the liquid cecals seem to be an early morning thing. Sorry if I’m asking too many questions, watching my normally very clean rabbit leaks poop every morning is just so hard. I stopped his metacam this morning and he doesn’t seem to be in any pain even though there’s audible watery gurgling noises coming from him.

The vet told me I can cradle him like a baby with butt slightly elevated and just gently wiggle his butt for him to help gas come out. I tried this and he let out a really stinky fart, but he only tolerates this for 30 seconds at a time, if anyone has ideas on helping him pass the gas that would be great. I am doing simethicone like a crazy woman but I’m not sure if it’s helping much.

[Chelsea]

Sherwood pellets really help with my bunny who is prone to mushy poops and gas. I think there must be an ingredient in oxbow (my guess is the soy and molasses) that does not agree with him. That said, the transition has been rough. I tried mixing the two kinds gradually together, but he just refused to eat it. I gave up for a couple of months and switched to supreme science selective, which he loves but doesn’t help as much. I just switched back to the Sherwood pellets unmixed about two weeks ago (he’s still getting the supreme science selective, but only as a treat) and he finally started eating more than 2 tablespoons a few days ago. He’s never had any mushy or odd poops while on Sherwood, and they were almost constant without. I think it also helps that he’s eating more hay since he doesn’t like the pellets much.

That said, other members on this forum have reported a much easier transition to Sherwood and good results. Good luck! Sherwood pellets are expensive, but cheaper than vet bills for stasis.

[jerseygirl]

Posted By Wascally Wabbits on 1/18/2017 7:52 PM

Spoke to the vet, and she said to cut his pellets to 1 tbsp to see if that will help. She also recommended trying Sherwood Forest pellets and digestive supplement. Has anyone heard of this? I googled and they seem to have a much shorter list of ingredients which is normally a good thing. But I’ve also been told by basically everyone that Oxbow has the best pellets..

He’s pooping normal poop (though small and weirdly shaped), the liquid cecals seem to be an early morning thing. Sorry if I’m asking too many questions, watching my normally very clean rabbit leaks poop every morning is just so hard. I stopped his metacam this morning and he doesn’t seem to be in any pain even though there’s audible watery gurgling noises coming from him.

The vet told me I can cradle him like a baby with butt slightly elevated and just gently wiggle his butt for him to help gas come out. I tried this and he let out a really stinky fart, but he only tolerates this for 30 seconds at a time, if anyone has ideas on helping him pass the gas that would be great. I am doing simethicone like a crazy woman but I’m not sure if it’s helping much.

Don’t apologise for that!! It helps to nut things out with other rabbit owners. 

Is he on metacam for something else or for this issue?? 

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take pictures so your vet can see what you’re seeing. If you haven’t done so already. Maybe he needs to go on an antibiotic like metronidazole also?

That his fecal poo is also not normal now is concerning. 

{{{{{Lilo}}}}}

[Wascally Wabbits]

Thank you for all the support so far btw, you guys are great.

I ordered some Sherwood pellets and digestive support, should get here tomorrow so I can slowly give him a few pellets.

Jersey- he was on metacam in case of gas pain (the gas is very loud and vet felt that he was a little too bubbly when she saw him on Monday). He’s producing a decent amount of poo, but they’re mostly small and funnily shaped. I’m just scared bc he seems to be experiencing gut slow down. Pushing hay a lot and waking up every couple hours to make sure he’s not too gassy. Vet doesn’t seem too concerned but maybe she’s just trying to keep me calm. He’s just on Albon right now. If he gets worse or not any better by Friday I’ll call back and ask her for more things. And yes I’m gonna take a picture and email it to the vet tomorrow.

[jerseygirl]

Ah okay. Sometimes rabbits might react to the sorbitol in liquid metacam and get messy poop but it sounds as if they were this way before the metacam. Im in no way suggesting you don’t use it! Im impressed the vet prescribed a pain med actually.

[Wascally Wabbits]

Some good updates: I fed him Sherwood Digestive Support yesterday, today his liquid cecotropes was markedly decreased. I even saw him eating some!

Still has a lot of gas and I’m just treating the symptoms. If this continues for another week we’ll do blood works.

[Bam]

That sounds promising! Changing a diet that isn’t agreeing with a bun is not just treating the symptoms. The cause of this sort of thing can be dietary. My bunny Bam can’t have carrot or he gets terrible poopy butt. And once a bun has got bad poopy butt, it can take time to get the tummy back in order.

[Bam]

That sounds promising! Changing a diet that isn’t agreeing with a bun is not just treating the symptoms. The cause of this sort of thing can be dietary. My bunny Bam can’t have carrot or he gets terrible poopy butt. And once a bun has got bad poopy butt, it can take time to get the tummy back in order.

It’s of course good to investigate further if the dietary change alone doesn’t fix it. Sometimes tummy issues can be related to tooth-problems, but that usually manifests itself in combo with avoidance of certain types of food, like pellets or hay.

[Wascally Wabbits]

I noticed that as they age they stop tolerating sugar as well also. I wonder if that’s a thing most rabbits experience. When Lilo was <2 I'd give him a 3/4 inch thick chunk of banana every couple days (I didn't know any better) and he'd be fine. But now at almost 6 even a third of a baby carrot or a tiny grape would give him the gurgles.

Bam, I’m hoping it’s dietary too, and not some nasty bacteria infection.

[Boston's Mama]

I’m no expert – but I Am going through stomach issues with my guy too.other than seeing vet first ( as you have) Cutting out the veges is def the way to start , then I also cut back the pellets ( if it is a sensitivity related thing then cutting back in the rich fibre in pellets can help ) making sure he has plenty of hay and water. With my guy these things settle him very quickly ( we can’t do green said at all for him )
Any reductions in his water / hay intake , any larthargic signs at all , any increase in the diarreah ( this is presuming he is only doing runny cecotropes and is still producing normal round poos too?? If not I would refuse to leave the vet )
Then we would need seen immediately

[Rufus03]

Hi Wascally Wabbits

I’m writing to see if your situation has resolved and to see if you ever found out what it was.  I’m having a similar situation at my house with the liquid cecals.  

[Author]

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